Residential Services & Foster Care

Davidson Respite House & Najim Family Respite Home

The Davidson Respite House Emergency Shelter was established in 1997 to provide short-term residential care for children with special needs from throughout Texas. The Najim Family Respite Home opened in 2010, further expanding services for children in crisis. While children may be privately placed to allow their family to attend to a crisis or enjoy a short respite from the demands of caring for their child, the majority of children placed within Respite Care’s residential service are those in state custody who have been removed from their home as a result of abuse and neglect. These two homes are the only emergency shelters licensed by the State of Texas and dedicated to the care of children with special needs. In these warm and welcoming homes in the historic Monte Vista neighborhood, up to 30 children, ranging from infants to 17 years old, are cared for by specially trained caregivers. The homes serve as a safe haven for children in need of loving hands and specialized care to aid in their physical and emotional healing.

Open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, participating children are enrolled in local schools, participate in recreational and educational activities, and follow a routine identical to that of a child residing in a typical home. Field trips are planned so that participants may experience recreational activities comparable to those of their non-disabled peers. The 30 beds are contained in beautiful, cheerful bedrooms filled with developmentally appropriate toys and colorful furnishings. Outside, a state-of-the-art adapted playground is appropriate for children with even the most severe disabilities. The availability of specialized recreational equipment allows them – often for the first time in their lives – to swing and slide and play just like any other child.

These homes demonstrate the how stability, nurturing and love can impact a child’s life, especially those who are victims of abuse or neglect.

Foster Care

The number of requests for care of children in state custody with special needs continues to rise and, in tandem, the length of time children remain in care continues to grow, resulting in limited space to accommodate the many children in need of residential care. Additionally, many children who are placed into foster homes after their stay at Respite Care return due to the inability of foster parents to fulfill the medical and emotional needs of children in need of specialized care.

In response, Respite Care expanded the emergency shelter program and became licensed to place children in foster homes. After a period of recovery within Respite Care’s emergency shelter service, foster parents are identified to continue to guide them in their journey of physical and emotional recovery.

RCSA’s foster program manages multiple homes throughout the community, as well as the Tracy Wolff Respite Home, the Respite Family Foster Home and HEB Family Respite Home, all located adjacent to the Respite Care campus and serving as transitional foster homes for children in need of safe haven.

Respite Care is committed to providing training and support for prospective foster parents so that they are better prepared for the challenges they will face while caring for a child with special needs. Contact us for more information about becoming a foster parent to a child with special needs!